A significant step toward advancing Sri Lanka’s scientific infrastructure was taken as the Sri Lanka Institute of Biotechnology (SLIBTEC) signed a $15 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with STEMedical, a U.S.-based biotechnology firm, to establish an internationally accredited laboratory in the country.

The MoU was signed at the Presidential Secretariat under the National Initiative for Research and Development Commercialisation (NIRDC). Signing on behalf of STEMedical was its founder, Professor Hans Keirstead, while SLIBTEC Chairman Prof. Samitha Hettige and Chief Operating Officer Amali Ranasinghe signed on behalf of Sri Lanka.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the lab will be developed to meet international accreditation standards and will serve critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, cosmetics, Ayurveda, and import/export quality assurance.

Senior Presidential Advisor on Science and Technology, Professor Gomika Udugamasooriya, highlighted the lab’s strategic value, saying it will contribute directly to doubling Sri Lanka’s export revenue by 2030. He described the occasion as a “special day for Sri Lanka” and stressed the importance of laboratory accreditation in boosting national and international trust in local products and services.

The facility is expected to operate as a central hub, supporting a network of laboratories across the country, and will play a key role in ensuring the quality and safety of goods and services.

Professor Hans Keirstead, a globally renowned stem cell scientist and CEO of the Human Immunome Project, expressed enthusiasm about Sri Lanka’s leadership and scientific vision. He noted that the project will have both clinical and economic benefits, potentially generating revenue by accrediting imported products like pharmaceuticals.

Other dignitaries present included Russel Aponsu, Senior Additional Secretary to the President; Dr. Muditha Senarath Yapa, Director-General of NIRDC; and Dr. Nistor Gabriel Loan, CEO of STEMedical.

This collaboration marks a milestone in Sri Lanka’s efforts to integrate world-class scientific research and infrastructure with its national development agenda.

A 32-year-old Sri Lankan passenger has been arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for attempting to smuggle a massive quantity of gold into the country, Ada Derana reports.

The suspect, who had arrived from Dubai, is a resident of the Grandpass area in Colombo. Airport customs officials apprehended him in possession of 195 gold biscuits and 13 kilograms of gold jewellery, with the total haul weighing approximately 35 kilograms.

The estimated street value of the seized gold is Rs. 1.1 billion, making it one of the largest gold smuggling busts reported at the airport in recent times.

Authorities have launched further investigations to determine whether the suspect is connected to a broader smuggling network.

Showers will occur at times in the Sabaragamuwa province and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts. Several spells of showers may occur in the Western and North-western provinces.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva, Northern and Eastern provinces during the afternoon or night.

Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-western and North-central provinces.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

By: Staff Writer

July 15, Colombo (LNW): A major corruption scandal has come to light at the Colombo National Hospital, where chemical reagents worth billions of rupees were allegedly procured in violation of proper procedures, posing a serious risk to patient health and safety.

The revelations were made by Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, Chairman of the Trade Union Alliance of Medical Professionals on Civil and Medical Rights, citing a government audit report released in June this year.

According to Dr. Sanjeewa, the scale of the malpractice is staggering—allegedly fifteen times worse than the much-publicized corrupt deal involving former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

While Rambukwella is accused of authorizing the procurement of substandard immunoglobulin injections worth Rs. 130 million, the irregular purchases at the National Hospital’s laboratory over the past three years exceed Rs. 2.5 billion in value.

The audit report states that these reagents were bought regionally without approval from the hospital’s Medical Supplies Division. Alarmingly, reagents worth over Rs. 13 million have already expired, while chemicals worth another Rs. 5 million were purchased after their expiry date.

Furthermore, reagents valued at Rs. 8 million were accepted into the lab despite having less than a month of usable shelf life left.

Dr. Sanjeewa also raised concerns about outdated laboratory equipment still in use, stating that many devices had been phased out internationally. He questioned who approved these procurements, who made the recommendations, and who accepted the goods—urging the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to conduct a thorough investigation.

He warned that tens of thousands of patients may have received test results based on expired or degraded chemicals, severely affecting the accuracy of medical diagnoses. This, he said, could lead to fatal consequences—for instance, a heart patient being misdiagnosed as healthy, or a kidney patient being sent home without proper treatment.

“The scale of harm caused to patients by this negligence could far exceed the fallout from Keheliya’s actions,” Dr. Sanjeewa asserted.

By: Staff Writer

July 15, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Commercial High Court has extended an enjoining order barring any legal proceedings to wind up the country’s national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, over a bond default, until July 30. The extension was granted following submissions by legal representatives of the airline and the Trustee of the defaulted bond, as the legal battle over a significant financial default continues to unfold.

The dispute arises from a $175 million international bond issued by SriLankan Airlines, which the airline defaulted on. With accrued interest, the outstanding claim has now ballooned to approximately $209 million.

The bond in question was issued with a government guarantee in 2019 to support the financially troubled airline’s operations. However, amid the country’s worsening economic crisis over the last few years, SriLankan Airlines has struggled to meet its debt obligations.

Lawyers representing the Trustee of the bond had earlier moved to demand full payment of the defaulted amount and signaled intentions to initiate legal proceedings to wind up the airline. In response, the legal team for SriLankan Airlines filed for an enjoining order, successfully halting any winding-up action temporarily.

At the recent court hearing, attorneys for SriLankan Airlines argued that under Sri Lankan company law, the foreign representatives of the bondholders do not have the legal standing to seek a winding-up order against the airline.

They further informed the court that the government, as the sole shareholder of the airline, is currently engaged in negotiations with bondholders in an attempt to reach a mutually acceptable solution without triggering liquidation.

SriLankan Airlines, which has been grappling with chronic losses and operational inefficiencies for over a decade, is at the center of the government’s state-owned enterprise reform agenda. The airline has posted significant financial losses year after year and was further hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s broader economic collapse in 2022, which saw Sri Lanka defaulting on its sovereign debt for the first time in its history.

The current legal impasse also raises questions about the implications for Sri Lanka’s broader debt restructuring program and its commitment to creditors. Legal experts point out that allowing SriLankan Airlines to be wound up would set a precedent with wide-ranging ramifications, particularly as the country continues to navigate a complex restructuring process with both bilateral and commercial creditors.

Meanwhile, bondholders are closely watching how the government addresses this dispute, especially amid wider privatization plans for the national carrier. The Finance Ministry had earlier announced a restructuring plan that could include strategic partnerships or full divestiture of SriLankan Airlines.

The case will be taken up again on July 30, with the court expected to hear further arguments on the legal standing of the bondholders and the government’s efforts to resolve the matter outside of litigation.

July 15, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (14) hosted Sultan A. Al‑Marshad, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), at the Presidential Secretariat to review existing development projects and chart a course for future collaboration.

The leaders evaluated ongoing SFD-funded initiatives across Sri Lanka and discussed strategic priorities for the next phase of cooperation. A key outcome from the meeting was Saudi Arabia’s interest in supporting the island’s digitalisation agenda, aimed at enhancing efficiency in public service delivery.

President Dissanayake reiterated the deep-rooted friendship between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia, thanking them for unwavering financial and logistical assistance provided during the recent economic downturn.

He emphasised that any new financing from the SFD will be directed towards initiatives identified by communities as most needed—ensuring that projects address real, on-the-ground priorities.

The delegation from Saudi Arabia included H.E. Khalid Hamoud Nasser Aldasam Alkahtani, Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and Dr Saud Ayid Al‑Shammari, Director General of Asia Operations at the SFD. Sri Lanka was represented by a senior ministerial delegation including Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando (Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development), Roshan Gamage (Senior Additional Secretary to the President), Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma (Secretary to the Ministry of Finance) and R.M.S.P.S. Bandara (Director General of External Resources).

Both sides expressed optimism that the renewed discussions would lead to impactful, people-centred projects—especially in the digital and infrastructural sectors—strengthening bilateral ties and supporting Sri Lanka’s ongoing recovery and development goals.